The present invention is described initially in the context of telecommunications applications but, as described below, is a multiple application connector assembly which may also be used to form electrical connections in other applications. In the context of telecommunications, examples of widely accepted connector assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,957,335 to Troy, 5,127,845 to Ayer et al. and 5,575,680 to Suffi. A connector assembly typically comprises an electrically insulative mounting block in which a plurality of electrically-conductive connectors are held in a standard predetermined spaced relationship. One well-known example is a type-66 connector assembly.
In telecommunications applications, such connector assemblies are commonly mounted on a panel or in a building entrance protector ("BEP") utility box. The BEP serves as an interface between the telephone company's lines and the customer's lines. The connector assembly is typically mounted with a back end of each connector exposed behind one side of the panel and a front end exposed in front of the panel. A telecommunications wire bundle from a telephone company leads into a splice chamber of the BEP. In the splice chamber, the wires are unbundled and electrically coupled to a surge protector field within the BEP. Wires leading from the surge protector are electrically coupled to the back ends of the connectors in the connector assembly.
Wires leading from the building's telephone wiring infrastructure are electrically coupled to the front ends of the appropriate connectors in the connector assembly to connect the individual customers' telephone lines with the telephone company's lines in the wire bundle. The connector assembly has applicability in other applications such as in alarm systems in which a multiplicity of electrical conductors are to be electrically coupled.
The individual electrically-conductive connectors of the connector assembly may be constructed in a variety of terminal shapes, depending upon the connection method to be used. In telecommunications applications, connectors having a wire-tail terminal configuration and an insulation displacement connector ("IDC") terminal configurations are common. However, in other applications, connectors having pin terminal configurations are used.
Wire-tail terminal configurations are used when a wire-wrap connection is desirable. A wire-tail terminal has an elongated portion which is typically 40 to 50 mils square in cross-section. A wire-wrap gun or device can be used to tightly wrap an uninsulated end portion of a wire around the wire-tail. This forms a secure connection which is desirable for use with alarms and telecommunications applications.
Another type of connector configuration is the insulation displacement connector ("IDC") terminal configuration. Typical IDC's are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,127,845 and 5,575,680. IDC terminals generally have a pair of tines projecting from a common base portion with a narrow slot between them. When the insulated wire conductor is forced into the slot between the tines, relatively sharp corner edges of the tines break through the insulation to tightly hold and form an electrically-conductive connection with the wire.
A third type of connector configuration having a pin terminal is used to connect to a printed wiring board ("PWB"). Pin terminals and the PWB are electrically coupled by inserting the pins into openings in the PWB and soldering the pins to the circuits on the circuit board. A PWB connection is often desirable in applications where numerous electrical connections are to be made.
It has heretofore been necessary to manufacture a wide variety of connector assemblies, each with its own type of electrically-conductive connector for use in various applications. For example, manufacturers have produced connector assemblies having two ended connectors with various combinations of terminal configurations, e.g., wire-tail terminals on both ends, wire-tail terminals on one end and IDC terminals on the other end, wire-tail terminals on one end and pin terminals on the other end. A particular example are connector assemblies use for interfacing between the telephone network and the lines in a customers building in which connectors have wire tail connections on one end, which are easily made in the factory, and IDC connections on the other end which are made in the field. Each end of the connector, however, is generally limited to a specific type of terminal, i.e., wire wrap, IDC, etc.
There is presently no known single connector end which can be used with multiple types of terminal connections for any application. Thus multiple types of connectors and connector assemblies must be produced and warehoused for the various applications.